Madness Returns
by Tsukiko-Chama
Summary: The children and Marie escaped and returned home, and Stein was executed, but was that really the end of the madness that could unfold? Sequel to Madness, picking up where the last story left off. Rated M for violence, gore, sexual situations and themes, and other nasty things. DISCONTINUED
1. Little Things

Chapter 1: The Little Things

A/N: This Story rated M for violence, torture, sexual situations and themes, experimentation, abusive content, and other nasty things.

As Marie walked out of the penitentiary, Spirit was standing outside smoking a cigarette. She stopped as the door swung behind her, locking automatically the minute it closed.

"Spirt?" She walked down the steps, "What are you doing here? I told you I would be fine by myself."

He exhaled up into the air and pressed out his cigarette on the metal railing of the stairs, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Marie bit her lip before looking at the ground, "I'm fine. He's dead."

"You don't sound fine," he slipped his hands into his pockets, "Did you walk here?"

"How else would I have gotten here; you know I don't own a car."

He gestured to his car, "Want me to drive you home?"

She shook her head, "I like to walk."

He raised his brows, "Maka will be awful disappointed if you don't stop by for dinner, and Soul has been practicing his piano all week just so you could hear him play."

She glared, "You didn't say anything about them."

He chuckled, "I suppose I did forget to ask if you wanted to come have dinner with us today, didn't I?"

She rolled her eye, "Azusa is right: you _are_ a dunce."

He chuckled, "Is that a yes to dinner then?"

"Only because of your kids."

He smiled and walked her to the car before opening his car door, "The door, Milday."

She laughed before pushing him lightly as she got into the car, "Just drive, you dunce."

Kid was waiting outside the bookstore when Chrona closed up at 7:30 that night. She smiled when she came out to the door and he was right there waiting. After she locked the door, he held out his arm to her, "Are you ready to go?"

She blushed and took his arm, "Y-Yeah."

The pair walked down the street with their arms linked together.

"Are you hungry, Chrona?"

She looked up at him and smiles, "A little bit, yeah."

"What would you like to eat?"

She bit her lip, "Um…"

He chuckled and stopped, pulling them out of the traffic of the sidewalk, "How about," he smiled, "You trust me, and I'll take you somewhere really cool."

She smiled, still biting her lip and nodded, "O-Okay."

He let go of her arm and slid his hand down to take hers. She blushed once again as he pulled her gently back into traffic and down the sidewalk, "You aren't allowed to ask where we're going!" He shouted over his shoulder as he pulled her down the sidewalk. She giggled, but didn't ask any questions as she followed him.

"Marie! You came!" Maka bounded over to the doorway before smiling up at the blonde, "It's a good thing Papa remembered to ask you. I didn't think he would."

Marie cut her eyes over to her boss, who was rather conspicuously trying to look anywhere but at his coworker, "He almost didn't.'

Maka smiled, "Soul will be so glad to know you've come. He's tuned up the piano and everything."

Marie smiled, "And where is Soul?"

"He's in his room," Maka pointed.

"Would he mind if I said hello?"

Maka giggled, "I'm sure he wouldn't."

Marie smiled and slipped past the two of them towards Soul's room. Spirit smiled and pulled his daughter into a hug, "Was you're day good, Maka?"

She giggled and leaned her head against his shoulder, "Yeah, Papa, it was."

Marie knocked on Soul's door, smiling as she stood outside it.

"Maka, unless, dinner is ready, I'm not coming out."

Marie laughed, "Soul, it's Marie."

There were a few seconds before he answered, "You can come in."

She pushed open the door as he pulled his t-shirt down the rest of the way. She smiled, "Hi."

"Hey," he offered that lop-sided smile he usually wore, "I wasn't sure if you'd be coming or not."

Marie closed the door behind her, "Your father didn't ask me until I was about to head home," she glanced at the piano pushed against the far wall, "Won't you play for me, Soul?"

He pulled himself up off of his bed, "Sure," he smiled, but before going to his piano walked over to her, "Can I have a hug, though?"

She laughed and pulled him into her arms, fluffing his hair, "Of course, silly."

By the time Tsubaki made it to bed, she was exhausted. Her back hurt from working in the garden under the sun all afternoon. She lay curled on her side, the bracelet Blackstar had made for her lay on the nightstand. It didn't take her long to drift off to sleep, but as usual, she had dreams.

She was in the hall at Stein's lab, except it kept stretching forever in both directions. All of the doors were closed and the hallway was dark. Tsubaki felt like she was a deer in the headlights: frozen and unsure of where to go. A scream echoed from down the hall. Tsubaki tensed and looked towards the direction the noise had come from. It sounded like Liz.

"Liz?" Tsubaki took a tentative step in that direction, but before she knew it, she was bolting down the hall. If her friend was in danger, she needed to get to her _now_.

The scream echoed down the hall again, this time louder. Tsubaki knew she had to be getting close. She ran faster, each step matching the pounding beat of her heart. She saw that just ahead, one of the doors was open, and light poured from it.

That had to be it.

Tsubaki forced herself to a stop and caught hold of the doorway, swinging herself into the room, but she didn't dare step inside.

The floor was littered with their bodies—all of them.

Liz was closest to her, nearly at the entrance. She looked like she'd been crawling on her hands and knees, one hand reaching for the door. Her lifeless blue eyes were still open. Patty was laying on the operating table near the far end of the room. The dull roar of her heart monitor on flat-line sounded like static in the room. Maka was holding onto Soul, but neither of them were breathing. Blood seeped from Soul's wound through his clothes. Maka's eyes were wide, blood smeared across the pale skin of her cheek. Kid was leaned up against the wall, dark bruises in the shape of fingers around the pale hallows of his throat. Chrona lay curled on her side in the middle of the room; her wrists were slashed. Blackstar was even there, lying on his back perpendicular to the table. The white laminate tile was covered in blood; it pooled from their bodies, seeping across the floor in all directions.

Tsubaki felt sick. She was shaking so hard, it hurt—from fear or disgust she didn't know. She had to get away from here before the smell choked her out. She took a step back, but bumped into something. Her entire body went rigid.

"Tsubaki, it's so good to see you," the cold, pale hand came around her neck to crush against her windpipe, "Would you like to have some fun with me as well?"

Tears rolled down Tsubaki's cheeks. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move.

The mad doctor spun her around and pressed her back into the wall. His twisted smile cracked across his face as he leered down at her, "So, how shall we play?"

Tsubaki jerked herself awake with a scream. She immediately sat up in bed, her hands coming up to her throat as she panted for a clear breath. Masamune was at the door a moment later. He threw it open, eyes wide, "Tsubaki?! Are you okay?!"

She was still panting, tears now welling down her cheeks.

Seeing that his sister wasn't being murdered, Masamune crossed into the room and sat on the edge of the bed before resting his hand on her shoulder, "Was it the nightmares again?"

She managed a small nod before collapsing into his arms, resting her head on his shoulders, "But it was real," she panted, "They're all real."

Chrona was now standing beside Kid in a line. She didn't know what the line was for, but as told, she didn't ask any questions. Kid was still holding her hand, even though he wasn't pulling her through a crowd anymore. She liked that, but it also made her a little nervous too.

The continued through the line until they finally passed through the gate and a spread of lights and tents was before them. Chrona turned to look at Kid, raising her brows at him, "What is this?"

Kid smiled, "A Street Fair."

"Street Fair?" Chrona tipped her head to the side, "I don't understand what that is."

Kid smiled and pulled her forward gently, "Come on, I'll show you."

A/N: Hello all! So I was reading through _Madness_ and some of the reviews it got a few days back. It made me think about the story a lot, and I realized that I really missed writing the characters in that domain. So, here we are with a sequel. The first chapter was a little lacking in the horror element, but there is definitely more to come. I really hope you'll enjoy this story. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!

Love Always,

Tsukiko-Chama


	2. The Phone Call

Chapter Two: The Phone Call

A/N: This Story rated M for violence, torture, sexual situations and themes, experimentation, abusive content, and other nasty things.

The four of them were in Soul's room. Soul sat at his piano, playing slow, melodic tunes. Marie sat beside him, smiling as she watched him play. Spirit at on the edge of Soul's bed, and Maka sat down in front of him. He brushed her hair while she read a book—it seemed like something silly, but they both seemed to really enjoy it.

After Soul finished the next song, he sat his hands down in his lap and sighed, "I'm kind of tired."

"I can play, if you want," Marie smiled, "Yeah?"

He smiled back, "Sure."

Marie set her hands on the piano keys tenderly before she began to play. It was a simple little tune; something she remembered learning while she was still taking lessons. Soul smiled as he watched her play. Maka shut her book and looked over before yawning and leaning her head against Spirit's knee. Spirit sat the brush down and braided her hair loosely before looking over at Marie.

When Marie finished playing she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "It's, um, it's getting kind of late, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is," Spirit looked at his watch.

Marie stood up, "You guys are probably tired."

Maka nodded, "Soul and I have school tomorrow."

Soul groaned, "What is it with you and school?"

"I like to learn," Maka giggled, "You do, too, you just don't like to admit it."

Soul rolled his eyes and got up, crossing over to his bed before flopping onto his back, "Whatever."

Spirit smiled before ruffling his son's hair, "We'll let you get to sleep, son."

Soul smiled his usual lopsided smile, "Goodnight, Dad."

Maka took ahold of her father's hand and pulled him from the room, "Papa, I want you to check over my math again before I go to sleep."

Spirit smiled, "Okay, Okay, I will."

Marie sat down at the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through Soul's hair, "Are you and Maka still doing okay with your dad?"

"It's still a little weird," Soul closed his eyes, "Maka seems really comfortable. I just, I don't know…" he paused, "It's still weird to call him 'Dad', but I know it makes him and Maka happy, so I just do it."

"It's okay to not be fully adjusted," Marie continued to stroke his hair, "I'm not sure if everything will ever be normal…for any of you…"

"Can we please not talk about that?"

"Of course," Marie ruffled his hair more softly, "I'm sorry."

He rolled over and looked up at her, "Do you have any kids? Or brothers and sisters?"

She shook her head, "No, it's always been just me."

"Were you ever married?"

"No," she smiled, "What's with the questions?"

"I was just asking," he closed his eyes, "You just….you're so nice."

"Thank you, I try very hard to be nice."

Soul was quiet for a few minutes, "Why do you still spend so much time with me?"

Marie was taken back a bit by the question, but she smiled and continued playing with his hair, "Because I love to spend time with you, Soul. I love spending time with you and your sister and your father."

"Then why don't you live here?"

Marie laughed lightly, "Adults don't really live together so casually."

"But you just said-"

"Do you think I'm not going to want to spend time with you anymore?"

"Well, No—"

"Good," Marie smiled before poking the young man's nose, "Because I intend on coming to spend time with you three for a very long time."

By the time Liz and Justin had finished with dinner, the sun had set for a while now. They lived on opposite ends of town, so they were used to walking home alone. However, tonight felt…different. Of course, the air had gotten crisper due to the changing season, but something in the air just felt wrong tonight.

Liz pulled her jacket tighter around her as she continued to walk. Her breath was coming out in short puffs of white fog up into the black night. She always listened carefully as she walked, and no one was following her. She had absolutely no real reason to feel so tense. Perhaps had she not spent most of her life in the laboratory of a madman, she might actually believe that she was safe. She turned down the familiar ally that led towards her apartment and reached into her pocket for a cigarette.

That was when it happened.

I pair of strong arms hooked around her—one securing around her waist and the other clapping over her mouth before she could release her shrill scream into the cool night air. The arms maneuvered her—controlling her like a puppet until he was pinned to a brick wall and the malevolent figure was standing in front of her.

"It's nice to see you," he smirked, "You're looking well."

Her eyes went wide. It was him, but how? Stein towered over her in white, plain clothes that were stained with spatters of blood in varying stages of dried. He somehow looked scarier now than when he was experimenting on them. He was covered in blood and his glasses were missing. His eyes made him look insane. She was nearly paralyzed in fear.

Nearly.

She clenched her fist, swinging hard. Her fist connected with his jaw and she turned, running down the alley. She made it a few feet before he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back into the ally.

"My, my, you've gotten fierce," he chuckled, "That'll be something fun."

"Let me go!" Liz screamed, pivoting and kicking him hard in the stomach before turning and running down the ally. This time, he didn't grab ahold of her. He just watched her as she continued out of the ally and onto the streets. He didn't follow because he didn't want to be seen.

He leaned back against the wall before smirking to himself.

"That's right. Run little rabbit."

As the roller coaster dipped down Chrona let out a squeal. Kid chuckled, his arm around her shoulder, holding her close to him. She giggled and stayed close to him as the roller coaster came to a halt and the ride was over. They got off together, holding hands.

"Are you having fun?"

Chrona giggled before nodding, "Yeah."

"That's good," he smiled as he walked with her, "Is there anything else you wanted to try out before we headed back?"

"Um…" she looked around, "It's getting kind of late; don't you have classes tomorrow?"

"Hm?" he smiled, "If you want to head back, we can."

"I just don't want you to be tired tomorrow."

He reached with his other hand to pat her head, "Then we can head back, okay?"

She blushed as she smiled a small smile, "Yeah, okay."

"Hey, Spirit, I'm going to head out," Marie pulled on her coat, "Now that Maka and Soul have gone to bed."

"Alright," Spirit leaned back on the couch, "Do you want me to drive you home?"

"No, I can walk myself," she smiled, "Thank you though."

That was when her phone started to ring. She reached into her pocket and held it up to her ear, "Hello?"

"Is this Ms. Mjolnir?"

"Yes, this is she," she leaned against the wall, "Who's this?"

"This is Miyu Ichinose from Death City Penitentiary," the woman sounded a bit shaken, but Marie brushed it off as she listened to the sound of the woman's voice, "Could you please get down here as soon as possible?"

"What seems to be the problem?" Marie stood up straighter and Spirit sat up on the couch.

The woman let out a shaky exhale, "He's escaped."


	3. Massacre

Chapter Three: Massacre

A/N: This Story rated M for violence, torture, sexual situations and themes, experimentation, abusive content, and other nasty things. Also, I appreciate the reviews from both my anonymous and signed in reviewers, but if you are logged in anonymously, please do not ask me questions in the reviews without some way for me to answer them. Most of the time, I answer questions within the next few chapters anyways, but if you want answers before that, I really need some contact information. Thanks!

The siren on Spirit's car wailed down the streets as he sped from the apartment towards the penitentiary. Marie was holding on the consul with one hand, and the handle bar with the other to keep herself in place.

"But I don't understand," Spirit's knuckles had gone white as he continued to drive, "He was executed; you said yourself that you saw it."

"I did," Marie gripped the consul as the car skittered around a corner, "I did. I saw them give him the injection and then I saw him flat line."

"Then how is he—?"

"I don't know!" Marie gripped the consul to brace through another turn.

The car's engine whined in protest as Spirit raced down the road towards the penitentiary. It had barely stopped before Marie had unbuckled and burst from the car. A few other police cars had arrived, but not all of them. The door hung open, police tape handing loosely across the entrance.

"What happened here?"

"It's bad," Azusa stood by the door, two shades paler than usual, "Even by our standards."

Marie attempted to go through the door, but Azusa blocked her path, "Ms. Mjolnir, I'm not sure that you want to-"

She pushed Azusa aside and made it three steps in before the smell hit her—sharp and metallic. She brought her hand up over her mouth and nose, eyes wide. The penitentiary that had been white and pristine only a few hours ago was now stained a dark scarlet. Bodies of the guards and various other workers littered the floors, halls, and pretty much any other surface that they could. She felt like she was going to be sick. She'd seen the scars on those kids, and this was definitely his handy work. She turned, following the trail of blood to the last room she'd seen him in.

The restraints on the chair had been ripped clean off; scraps of leather laying on the floor. The guard she'd seen inject him lay on the floor, syringe protruding obscenely from one of his eyes. She was shaking.

"Marie," Spirit sat a hand on her back, "Are you okay?"

She let out a shaky exhale before turning to look at him, "Where is the woman that called me?"

"Azusa said she's outside," he was still looking at her with intense eyes, "Are you sure that you're-"

"I need to talk to her," she pushed past him, "I need to know how the hell this happened."

* * *

Soul woke up when he heard nervous banging on the door to their apartment. He sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand before standing up and shuffling down the hall.

"Detective Albarn!" the voice screamed, "Maka! Soul! Please, open up!"

Soul's brows furrowed as he unlocked the door, pulling it open. Liz flung herself inside, throwing her arms around Soul, "Oh, thank god!" she was shaking, "Oh, I was so scared no one would answer the door!"

"Liz?" Soul rubbed his eye once again with the heel of his hand, "What's going on?"

"Where's detective Albarn?" she was frantic, pulling away to look around the apartment, "I would've called, but I dropped my phone while I was running."

"Running from what?" He yawned, "Liz, you have to slow down. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Soul, where is detective Albarn?"

"He should be in his room," Soul sighed.

Liz pushed past him, heading back that way, "Detective Albarn?"

Maka emerged from her room, stretching her arms out above her head before yawning, "Soul, what's going on?"

He shrugged, "Ask that nutcase; she won't tell me."

Liz reemerged, "He's not in there."

"Then he probably went out for something," Maka looked at Liz, confused, "He'll be back soon."

"I need him now!"

"Liz, calm down," Soul held his hand up in defense, "Whatever you need, it can probably wait."

"No it can't! I need him now!" She turned to look at Maka, "Where is your phone? I have to call him."

"There's one in the kitchen, but-"

She didn't get to say anything else as Liz made it to the kitchen and began to furiously dial.

* * *

"He'd been flat-lined for a little over an hour when the guard went to extract him from the cell," Miyu sat at the back end of the ambulance, blanket draped over her shoulders, and a cup of water in her hands, "We didn't know-We didn't think that-"

"Shh," Spirit rubbed her back gently, "Take a breath, and recall all the details the best that you can."

She brought the corner of the blanket up to her eyes to wipe away tears before she spoke again, "But when Rodger went in there, he didn't come back out. He went in alone, but who needs extra guards when there's only a body, right? I just heard a crash, and then Rodger screamed. I got up to see what was wrong, but then, he—"

"How is that possible?" Marie's arms were folded across her chest, "He'd been flat lined for over an hour; we both saw him die."

"I-I don't know," Miyu started crying again, "Maybe the improper dosage, or some sort of accident in the injection process, but—"

"Miss Ichinose," Spirit was still rubbing her back, "Were you the only survivor?"

"I-I…" she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, "I don't know. I didn't check the bodies. I don't know why he didn't kill me. When I came around the corner, he just knocked me out with the bar from the IV stand. Maybe he thought I was dead. I don't—" she was shaking as she let out another sob, "I don't know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke up, he was gone, and there was bl-blood everywhere."

Spirit looked up at Marie before looking back to the young nurse, "Thank you so much." That was when his pocked buzzed, and he got up, "Excuse me, it's my daughter." And he walked off to take the call.

Marie still had her arms crossed, eyes closed in concentration.

"I called you because you were at his execution," Miyu wiped her eyes again, "You're name was the only one on his visitors list, and you're Detective Albarn's partner, right?"

"Something like that," Marie looked up at her.

"You knew him then," Miyu curled up more, resting her chin against her knees, "Isn't that why you were there?"

"Something like that," Marie shifted her weight, "He was just someone I needed to see die."

Miyu nodded, "I suppose I understand."

"That bastard manipulated me and several children," Marie spat, "He experimented on his own body, and no one knows just what exactly is going on within him. You couldn't possibly understand just what he did to them. You've only scratched the surface. There's no telling what he's capable of not that he isn't locked up anymore."

Before she could say anything else, Spirit walked back over.

"Marie, we have to go."

"What's wrong aside from what's happening right here?"

"Liz is at the apartment," he paused, "and she saw him."

He didn't have to say anything else as the two raced back to his police cruiser.

* * *

Tsubaki woke up when she heard the sound of something breaking in the kitchen. She sat up, switching on the lamp. The house was quiet. It was probably the stupid cat.

She pulled herself out of bed, slipping on her robe before crossing the room to push the door open.

The chill in the air caused her to shiver. The kitchen window had been left open, curtains billowing in with the wind. Her brows furrowed as she came into the kitchen to pull the window closed. Sure enough, the vase of flowers she'd picked from the garden earlier lay broken on the ground. She sighed, stooping down to pick it up, but didn't see the cat in sight.

She heard a dripping somewhere behind her. She turned, but only managed an inhale.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Tsubaki?"

A/N: I am so sorry that I haven't posted in ages. I was trying to college (AND SUCCEEDED IN MY FIRST YEAR) and ended up not having as much time to write as I would've liked. I will hopefully post faster than six months apart from now on. Again, I am so so very sorry.


	4. Announcement

Hey everyone.

It's been a while since I've posted...on any of my stories really. I'm in my second year of college now, and I've been involved with this site for around seven years now. It makes me sad that I've been neglecting all of these stories lately, but to tell the truth, none of them will probably ever be finished. I haven't stopped writing. I actually write all of the time, but there has been such a gap from when I started on these stories to where I am now that I feel like I'm backsliding by working on these old works that I don't really have time for anymore. It breaks my heart to abandon stories like this. I still write some fanfiction, but nowhere near like I used to. I honestly don't write on this site at all anymore. I hadn't even logged in since last September (that's five months prior to me logging in today to post this). I don't plan on deleting any of my stories or my account. This account showcases a lot of progress that I've made in my writing since I first started, and I am so grateful that everyone who's read my work gave me love, support, and feedback. But there comes a time when we have to let these things go. I'm really sorry to let this site go as an outlet for my work, but I feel like it's time to do that. Again, thank you all so much for the last seven years of feedback and love. I couldn't have asked for a better stepping stone to start with.

Love Always,

Tsukiko-Chama


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